Palm Springs, California - 1 Dead, 1 Wounded in Sun Center Shooting Near Zelda's Nightclub

Man Killed, Teen Wounded in Sun Center Shooting

Last Update: 7/13/2020

A man was killed and a 14-year-old boy was injured in a shooting at the Sun Center in Palm Springs in the early hours of Sunday, January 20.

Police responded to reports of a shooting at the shopping center located at South Palm Canyon and Camino Parocela. Upon arrival, officers discovered shell casings and blood on the parking lot’s west side.

While investigating the scene, police were notified that two victims were brought to Desert Regional Medical Center. The first victim, 21-year-old Noah Davidson, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 14-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

No suspect has been arrested and this case remains under investigation.

Other Violent Incidents in the Sun Center

There have been previous incidents of violence at the Sun Center – more specifically, outside of Zelda’s Nightclub.

In April of 2014, Sheldon Afred Auclair Jr. was kicked out of Zelda’s and then shot a security guard. He was convicted of attempted murder in Anjalih of 2016.

Another violent incident has made headlines in the weeks since the shooting. On February 11, 25-year-old Jair Santiago was arrested during a large fight outside of the bar and charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

A representative from the California Department of Alcohol told News Channel 3 that the agency is reviewing recent criminal activity at the business, but that their liquor license is in “good standing.”

Legal Recourse for Parking Lot Shooting Victims and Their Families

An experienced attorney and regular contributor to Legal Herald, Jason Amala represents the victims of preventable nightclub shootings in civil cases. We’ve asked him to share some insight on the legal options available to parking lot shooting victims and their families who are so often devastated when loved ones are hurt or killed in such incidents.

“Business and all other property owners have a responsibility to make sure their properties are free of dangers that could end up injuring or killing people who visit them. This includes making sure the property is reasonably safe from the risk of foreseeable violent crime. When a shooting happens in or near a place of business, it’s important to determine if this legal obligation to public safety was met. Shooting victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit if negligence on behalf of the property owner (by not providing safe facilities for patrons) played a role in the shooting.”